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New York University's independent student newspaper, established in 1973.

Washington Square News

New York University's independent student newspaper, established in 1973.

Washington Square News

New York University's independent student newspaper, established in 1973.

Washington Square News

Naisha Roy

Naisha Roy, Editor-at-Large

Naisha Roy is a senior studying journalism and Spanish & linguistics at the College of Arts & Science. If she’s not cooking or solving crosswords with her friends, she’s probably running around the WSN office distracting everyone. Strike up a conversation with her about travel or butterflies if you want to occupy the next few hours of your day. Reach her at @naisharoy9 on Instagram or [email protected].

All content by Naisha Roy
An illustration of seven people standing at purple podiums. One of the podiums has a spotlight on it, with a person raising their hand under the light. There is another spotlight that highlights the words “UP FOR DEBATE”.

Up for Debate: Should NYU adopt institutional restraint?

Following a recent trend of universities adopting institutional neutrality, NYU has expressed commitment to practicing “institutional restraint” in order to give “respect to the diverse experience and backgrounds at NYU.”
Mehr Kotval, Noah Zaldivar, Omar Drissi and Naisha Roy November 26, 2024

Naisha Roy, Editor-at-Large: The concept of institutional neutrality is inextricably linked to freedom of speech. The Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression, which gave...

A collage of four book illustrations.

Books beyond Bobst: A play about an artist, a novel spanning 300 years and more

Books beyond Bobst is a book-rec column highlighting what NYU students are reading now, outside of their classes. If you’re in need of a new read, look no further.

“Red” by John Logan “When I was your age, art was a lonely thing: no galleries, no collecting, no critics, no money. We didn't have mentors. We didn't have parents. We...

A group of police officers and protesters gathered outside a white building. One protester holds a large Palestinian flag on the left, while another has an Israeli flag on the right and police officers stand in the middle.

A look into how U.S. colleges responded to waves of on-campus protests

NYU joined several other higher education institutions across the country in updating its protest guidelines and non-discrimination policies.
Naisha Roy, Editor-at-Large September 30, 2024

On-campus tensions over the war in Gaza left NYU’s administration scrambling to meet the needs of its student body. University policies have evolved in response to its crackdown...

An illustration of a map of Europe with the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Czech Republic, Italy and Spain painted purple with white N.Y.U. emblems. Each country has one city labeled: London, Paris, Berlin, Prague, Florence and Madrid. Illustrations of N.Y.U. global sites’ buildings are included next to each country on the map.

5 inevitable study abroad mistakes

As you buckle up for your long-anticipated study abroad experience, be sure to avoid these common slip-ups.
Naisha Roy, Editor-at-Large April 2, 2024

As someone who’s roughly halfway through her study away semester at NYU Madrid, let me be the first to tell you: You will make bad decisions. Going to NYU makes us all think...

An illustration of Ariana Grande facing away and leaning against another version of herself.

Review: Ariana Grande isn’t perfect, and neither is ‘eternal sunshine’

The pop diva’s latest album is raw, emotional and compelling, but suffers from repetitiveness and the rumors surrounding its release.
Naisha Roy, Editor-at-Large March 13, 2024

If I had to pick one word to describe the public opinion on Ariana Grande right now, it would be controversial. She has one of the most loyal fan bases across the music industry,...

A white banner with the words "N.Y.U. HAS BLOOD ON ITS HANDS" with the word "BLOOD" written in red. Surrounding the words are multiple red handprints. Above it is a Palestinian flag. They are laid on a grey tile floor next to small pieces of paper with slogans on them.

Pro-Palestinian students hold daylong strike in Paulson Center

Members of pro-Palestinian student groups on campus organized a daylong strike in the Paulson Center lobby, during which both Campus Safety and police officers were stationed at the building.
Naisha Roy, Deputy Managing Editor December 12, 2023

Dozens of students filled the lobby of the Paulson Center for nine hours on Monday, joining a global strike calling for a permanent cease-fire in the Israel-Hamas war. The students...

An illustration of a megaphone with the phrase “Staff Rants” written on it. The megaphone wears a red Santa hat and the background is white with blue snowflakes.

Staff Rants: Holiday Overload

It's the end of the term, which means it's the holiday season! WSN staff shares their thoughts about it — the good and the bad, but mostly the bad.

On giving gifts Krish Dev — Deputy News Editor  Whenever I have to buy gifts for the holidays, I feel like I am walking on a tightrope — it’s a delicate balance between...

Opinion: The student government should spend its money better

Opinion: The student government should spend its money better

Last year’s student government spending shows a misunderstanding of student needs. There are better uses for our tuition dollars.
Naisha Roy, Deputy Managing Editor November 30, 2023

For an organization that is unfamiliar to much of the student body, our student government gets a lot of money — last year, the Student Government Assembly had an operating...

The storefront of the restaurant which has “KOLACHI” and “ROLLS AND FRIES,” written in yellow text.

Kolachi’s rolls put Pakistani food on the campus map

The newly-opened Karachi-inspired restaurant in the East Village serves up affordable yet filling parathas and fries.
Krish Dev and Naisha Roy November 15, 2023

Kolachi, a new Pakistani restaurant in the East Village, brings the taste of Karachi to NYU students with its simple menu of hearty paratha rolls and spicy fries.  The restaurant,...

A glass sign that says “Walker Hotel” illuminated by yellow light bulbs above the entrance of the Walker Hotel.

Housing overflows returned to NYU, despite additional residence hall

This year was the latest where the university moved some students to temporary housing to alleviate overflow in its on-campus housing system.
Naisha Roy, Deputy Managing Editor October 26, 2023

Every year, student registration for university housing outpaces available rooms, and every year some students who are unable to register are placed in off-campus hotels. This...

An interviewer holding a microphone is asking four panelists a question on a stage. The panel is named “Clocking Out: From Cubicles to Content.”

Making a career out of cooking at the first annual FoodieCon in New York

Hosted by Food Network’s New York City Wine & Food Festival, FoodieCon brought together some of Instagram’s leading food influencers in an eventful yet chaotic experience.
Naisha Roy, Deputy Managing Editor October 19, 2023

Some of the city’s leading food journalists and Food Network chefs hosted panels at the Wine and Food Festival’s first annual FoodieCon on Oct. 14, working with influencers...

A crowd of people gathering at an Italian food-tasting event at Pier 86 in New York City.

A paradise of pizza and pasta at Food Network’s NYC Wine & Food Festival

Peroni’s Taste of Italy on Oct. 12 brought together New York City's most iconic Italian bakeries, restaurants and cocktail bars under one night sky along the Hudson River. Here’s where you can try them for yourself.
Naisha Roy, Deputy Managing Editor October 16, 2023

The New York City Wine & Food Festival hosted by Food Network took diners on a tour of the city’s best Italian establishments with their Peroni’s Taste of Italy event,...

A man wearing a backwards cap, a white shirt and a black jacket stands behind a D.J.’s turntable. Behind him is a wall decorated with records.

Producer and NYU junior Ryan Jacob on his musical journey

The British American musician and DJ is adding to his list of successful projects while studying at NYU.
Naisha Roy, Deputy Managing Editor October 4, 2023

When Ryan Jacob was 3 years old, he heard “Ode to Joy” ringing out of his nanny’s phone. He was sitting by the piano and, intrigued by the tune, started playing it back,...

An illustration of a black megaphone that reads ‘STAFF RANTS’ in white letters. There are black and white lines coming out of the megaphone. The background is red.

Staff Rants: School-life balance

As the semester starts to kick in, the WSN staff shares their experiences with balancing — or at least trying to balance — their academic and social lives.

On self-care Molly Koch — Opinion Editor Between going to class and working 20 hours a week, I never have time for myself. I have to pick and choose my battles between doing...

An interior view of the Palladium dining hall with wooden counters, white columns, tiled floors and white ceilings.

Opinion: NYU’s markets are unusable with their expensive prices

The university’s campus convenience stores: a concept that only works in theory.
Naisha Roy, Deputy Opinion Editor April 28, 2023

NYU’s dining hall hours suck. The good locations are never open late, and even the mediocre ones run out of food long before they close. That’s part of the reason why NYU has...

An aerial view of the Washington Square Arch with a crowd of N.Y.U. students wearing purple outfits in front.

Opinion: Bring back the ‘Why NYU?’ essay

It makes sense that NYU has decided to go test-optional. Essay-optional, however, is a whole different story.
Naisha Roy, Deputy Opinion Editor April 7, 2023

Just about all of us remember sitting down at the computer, staring at the “Why NYU?” supplemental essay on the Common Application, and asking ourselves that very question:...

A classroom filled with students, who are wearing masks, working on their laptops. An analog clock hangs on the wall behind them.

Opinion: Stop making classes longer than they need to be

Most NYU classes are 75 minutes long. The ones that are longer shouldn’t be.
Naisha Roy, Deputy Opinion Editor March 24, 2023

There’s only one thing worse than sitting in a murky auditorium, listening to a professor lecture for 75 minutes: sitting there for double that time. That’s what I had to do...

Two students at a salad bar with dining tables to the right.

Opinion: Crave NYU is better because it has a different food provider

The new Crave NYU dining hall proves that the university can do food right. Why not have Sous Vide Kitchen as the primary provider in the rest of the dining halls?
Naisha Roy, Deputy Opinion Editor March 9, 2023

After the third time I received burnt Cluckstein chicken nuggets, I promised myself I would never eat there again. When NYU announced the opening of a new dining hall in the Paulson...

An image of two levels of Bobst Library, with students studying at tables on both floors.

Opinion: Finals week schedules shouldn’t be a mystery

I’m not saving any money on tuition, so the least NYU could do is let me save money on flights home.
Naisha Roy, Deputy Opinion Editor February 28, 2023

The end of the spring semester involves a lot of moving parts. Students have to worry about surviving finals week, packing and leaving dorms and — for those who live outside...

An illustration of a roll of paper, tied with a purple ribbon in front a black graduation cap. It is pictured sitting atop a stack of four books of different academic subjects against a purple background.

Opinion: CAS needs to offer more joint majors

Let me live my wannabe Gallatin dreams.
Naisha Roy, Deputy Opinion Editor February 23, 2023

From specializations to double majors, minors to concentrations and more, NYU has a ton of confusing terminology when it comes to defining what students are studying. In the midst...

The facade of a building with orange and red bricks. A white flag with the N.Y.U. logo hangs from the wall. Underneath the flag is the entrance to N.Y.U.’s Lipton residence hall.

Opinion: Why does NYU make it so hard to apply for housing?

NYU’s housing application process forces students to commit to dorms without giving them the information they need to be able to make an informed decision about where they want to live.
Naisha Roy, Deputy Opinion Editor February 9, 2023

One of the biggest stressors about going to college in a big city — or anywhere, really — is finding housing. When I first completed the housing application, during my last...

Two students lining up in front of a food station inside a university dining hall. A television above the counter shows that the counter serves Indian food.

Opinion: Dear NYU Eats, samosas are not protein

Chaat House, the newest addition to Palladium dining hall, makes avoidable mistakes in its take on Indian cuisine.
Naisha Roy, Deputy Opinion Editor February 1, 2023

When I said my goodbyes at the end of winter recess, all I could think about was everything I would miss: my mom, her cooking, my dad, his cooking, my grandma, her cooking, my...

A blue, plastic recycling bin with a white U+2672 Universal Recycling Symbol printed on it. A red Santa hat illustration is overlaid on the recycling bin.

This holiday season, take your trash out the right way

Here’s a few ways to give back to Mother Earth before you leave for winter break.
Naisha Roy, Staff Writer December 13, 2022

With winter break approaching, most of us are just trying to make it through finals week long enough to see the holiday lights at the end of the tunnel. However, with all the excitement...

A man in a blue shirt and a brown tie holds his right arm up while speaking to a group of students. Behind him, there is a slide that is drawn over that reads: “Stern Best, thumbs up emoji.”

Off-Third: Sternies are better than us, actually

Leave the finance bros alone. Everyone knows you’re just jealous of them.
Naisha Roy, Staff Writer December 7, 2022

Off-Third is WSN’s satire column. Last week, the undergraduate dean at Stern School of Business answered questions during a town hall with dozens of students to discuss anti-Stern...

A hand holding a small, pink canister of pepper spray that shoots out liquid.

Opinion: Strike down pepper spray restrictions

In a time of increased break-ins, attacks and safety violations, students need better access to self-defense devices. New York state needs to reconsider its pepper spray laws.
Naisha Roy, Staff Writer November 29, 2022

As I finalized my Amazon shopping cart for my first year at NYU, I realized I forgot to add one item: pepper spray. Although it wasn’t as exciting as dorm decorations, I knew...

An illustration of two people’s silhouette talking in front of a blackboard with the text “COLLEGE OF blank line?” “C.A.S. vs C period A period S period,” and “SOLUTION two question marks” against a purple background.

Off-Third: CAS needs a name

CAS first-years have faced this dilemma for way too long. We need a name.
Naisha Roy, Staff Writer November 16, 2022

Off-Third is WSN’s satire column. As a wide-eyed and eager first-year ready to take New York City by storm, you gather all of your belongings and move into your first dorm....

The red facade and sidewalk entrance of Bobst Library is decorated with ornaments and garland. N.Y.U. president Andrew Hamilton puts ornaments on two Christmas, which are side by side.

Off-Third: NYU should celebrate Christmas even earlier

November isn’t soon enough. We need to celebrate Christmas for the entire second half of the year.
Naisha Roy, Staff Writer November 3, 2022

Off-Third is WSN’s satire column. As soon as the clock strikes midnight on Nov. 1, Instagram stories everywhere go from pictures of lingerie-with-animal-ears costumes to red...

A hand holding a smartphone displaying TikTok’s splash screen. In the background is a laptop with N.Y.U.’s log-in webpage open.

Opinion: Class of 2026, there’s nothing wrong with slacking off

With midterm season in full force, a lot of first-years are feeling the same pressure to constantly work like in high school. I’m here to tell you it’s OK to slack off.
Naisha Roy, Staff Writer October 24, 2022

Dear fellow first-years, let’s be honest. If you’re a student here, it’s because you didn’t slack off in high school — you were one of those child prodigies who cured...

Exterior photo of the N.Y.U. Office of Global Services with white text reading “383 Lafayette” on the window.

Opinion: NYU needs to support its documented dreamers

International students come from different backgrounds, and it’s time NYU provides resources for all of us.
Naisha Roy, Staff Writer October 21, 2022

When most people think of international students, they imagine them moving across the world with their suitcases in hand, saying goodbye to their family and friends, ready to begin...

An image of an elevator button panel with a red X drawn over it.

Off-Third: NYU removes elevator buttons in bid to boost student fitness

After months of complaints by higher-floor residents and an uptick in student laziness, residence hall elevators will no longer stop on lower-level floors.
Naisha Roy, Staff Writer September 23, 2022

NYU recently announced that residence hall elevators would no longer have buttons for the second through fifth floors, the latest in a series of actions aimed at improving student...

A hand with purple fingernails holds a New York University campus card near a card reader at a dining hall kiosk.

Opinion: Meal Plans aren’t useless — you’re just using them wrong

Yes, the Lipton toaster somehow burnt only the left side of my bagel. No, I still won’t get rid of my meal plan.
Naisha Roy, Staff Writer September 21, 2022

As an incoming first-year, one of the most complicated things that I had to go through was navigating NYU’s meal plan — rivaled only by trying to figure out how to manage the...

The entrance of Rubin Hall with an NYU flag and a green overhang.

Opinion: NYU is eliminating its cheapest dorm option

The first-year dorm notorious for its lack of air conditioning is finally getting a long-awaited renovation, but it makes an already pricey college experience even pricier.
Naisha Roy, Staff Writer September 16, 2022

When I was scrolling through housing options back in June, the low prices of Rubin Hall immediately caught my eye. Often the butt of housing jokes for first-years, the residence...